Meghan Markle Spent The Weekend Reminding Women To Be Confident At Work

One of our generation’s most fashion-forward style icons wants us to know that no outfit is complete without confidence.

That was the message Meghan Markle sent on Saturday, when she sat down for a Zoom chat with three clients of her royal patronage Smart Works. She was marking the one-year anniversary of the Smart Set capsule collection she designed for the British charity, which provides free clothing and job interview coaching to women.

Meghan chatted with Karla, Charlene, and Agnieszka, three women who got new jobs after using Smart Works’ services. They all talked about the added confidence that both the interview tips and the new clothing provided them.

“People can say that so much of Smart Works is about the clothes themselves, but it’s really not,” Meghan said. “All of that stuff is the exterior, but it’s what it does for you on the inside that ends up being the best accessory, right?”

“It’s the confidence built within that is the piece that you walk out of that room with, and walk into that interview with, that will take you to the new layer of success.”

The designs Meghan contributed to Smart Works were simple and elegant basics: a white shirt, tapered pants, a blazer, a shift dress, and a leather tote bag. They were the kind of neutral, foundational pieces that go with anything, but that aren’t always available through donations, at least not in the right sizes, according to Smart Works.

During the first two weeks they were sold, they were available on a 1:1 model where one item was donated to Smart Works for every item sold. According to the charity, 1,000 women have benefited from Meghan’s capsule collection since she launched it last year.

The video also showcased a little more of Meghan and Prince Harry’s new Santa Barbara home. We saw the luxe stone fireplace that we’ve peeped before, like when Harry talked to members of the UK’s Rugby League last month.

And visible above the fireplace: a vintage print that Harper’s Bazaar recognised as the sheet music for “I Love You, California,” the state’s anthem. It features a bear (which you might recognise from California’s state flag) embracing the state itself. As Meghan’s home state, it makes sense that it would provide her comfort — and, yes, confidence.